Entries strong, early bets on for Delaney Memorial

Dublin, Ireland – The second round of stakes payments for all four of the Ladbroke's Vincent Delaney Memorial Festival Classic races have closed with only 2 horses dropping out, both 2 year old colts, with all other contests having the same number of second stage confirmations. The 2 withdrawals are Doonboy, a 33/1 shot in the betting, whilst the other, Rock Show, was one of the early favourites at 7/1.

The Ladbroke's Vincent Delaney Memorial Festival takes place Friday, August 12 through Sunday, August 14.

On the subject of betting, a lot of the buzz around the Ladbrokes Vincent Delaney Memorial stems from the ante-post betting market, and ever since the events inception in 2012, a market has been formed on release of the entries by leading Irish bookmaker Dan Carlin.

Bets can be placed with Carlin at any time right up until the starting car pulls away in the final race over the 2 days of competition and prices will fluctuate according to the strength and volume of bets placed on runners. Over the years the markets have expanded to now incorporate the Diamond Creek Oaks Fillies Classic, the Oakwood Stud 3 year old Derby and the Paul Murtagh Memorial 4 year old Cup, giving punters 4 separate opportunities to speculate their currency in the hope of winning big.

Punters have adopted many differing strategies in order to try and secure a winning wager a full 6 months before post time and whilst some are statistically based wagers others operate on the principal of “playing the man, not the ball” by choosing their favoured trainer regardless of the talent at his disposal.

Big money yearlings haven’t fared particularly well over the years and all 4 previous winners have cost less than €10,000 at the sales. A prime example of that was the 2014 renewal when both Titanium and runner up Coalford Tetrick, cost less than €2,000.

Another trend has emerged in that the cup has never been lifted by a home trained runner despite all the top Irish trainers firing multiple bullets year after year in the effort to keep the top prize in the emerald isle. This looks again likely as the majority of all fancied favourites on Dan Carlin’s books, emanate from the United Kingdom. Another trend worth noting is that race has always been won by a professional trainer, as opposed to a competent part-time amateur, and it will take an exceptional performance from both horse and driver to land the spoils once again in 2016.

After an initial flurry of bets, all markets are starting to mature and starting with the Colts Division of the Ladbrokes Vincent Delaney Memorial. Elmo Hanover is a clear favourite at 5/1 following closely by Someones Fantasy and Dragons Den at 6/1 each. In the Diamond Creek Farms sponsored Vincent Delaney Memorial Oaks, Teatime Preacher has been backed from 20/1 into the 5/1 clear favourite deposing Oakwood Dragoness who remains at 6/1.

The Oakwood Stud sponsored 3 Year Old Derby (mixed colts and fillies), is a most interesting market with Art Pace Hall a clear 5/2 favourite. Newtown Rock follows him in the betting on 7/2 whilst last year’s outstanding juvenile champion, Miraculous, appears friendless in the betting having drifted out to 4/1.

The Paul Murtagh Memorial 4 Year Old Classic is perhaps the closest betting market with just ¼ of a point separating the top 2. A battle raged all last season as to who was the better 3 year old colt, Rewrite History or Coalford Tetrick, with both taking big money classics at Portmarnock Raceway.

Rewrite History was an easy winner of the Oakwood Stud Derby whilst Coalford Tetrick was equally as impressive in the Barney Joyce Memorial. The former just shades favouritism now on 7/4 with the latter on 2/1. A surprise package on 4/1 is Evenwood Sun Of A Gun ahead of Sportstrick at 5/1.

To make future wagers on these horses, bookie Dan Carlin can be reached via Facebook or by phone at 07808 395812.

For more information visit www.vincentdelaneymemorial.com. 

By Thomas Bennett, for Harnesslink